Main issue when using a MII is that they need to be wider than the stock ford pinto mustang geometry. 56 inches verses 60 for a slick. Aftermarket takes this in to account by relocating the mounting points further out. A MII in a <4000 pound truck driven daily will hammer out the arm bushings in short order.

A good Example of a unit engineered and designed specifically for the wider frame use is No Limits Wide Ride. It is un fair to compare aftermarket MII suspensions to the Ford Pinto/Bobcat or Mustang. MII aftermarket pieces most only share a common geometry and none of the parts.

On narrower framed cars with a narrower track in the >3000 pound dressed range they work fine if installed correctly.

Some questions:
What is up with the upper tubing spacer?

Have you taken in to account the changes in steering geometry incurred by raising the upper hat and not raising the lower mounting point? I can not from your pictures, tell if you raised the cross member to maintain the lower arm mount to upper hat top dimension.

Garbz

 

NumberDummy thanks for posting up those numbers. sometimes we exaggerate when typing or talking from memory.

doc good luck on your 66. i am no expert on these trucks but im glad my post is helping you.

garbz2, again i dont want this thread to become a he said she said. some companies took on the liability to build these kits for these applications. i can only hope that for the consumer that the kits have been properly tested ext. thats really about all i care to say about it.

your questions...

upper tube spacer moves the spring (bag) cup up 1". its a 8" long piece of 1x2 thick wall tube. i plan to seal the front and back with a thick piece of 1x2 flat steel for extra strength. the top hat for the bags has also been reduced 3/4" after much measuring.

the cross-member too has had 1" removed from it so it slips up into the chassis 1" higher. this keeps the exact same geometry. consider it "Zing" the frame only with a lot less work.

thanks!

todays progress was weak. painted a bunch of parts and located the area to be pipe notched for the R/P, also located the upper shock mounts. i am waiting on the motor mount kit and trans to push forward.

 

Ok That works.

Just remember those pesky ford motors and the front mount oil pumps suck when raising cross members or Zeeing a frame.

And please do not assume anyone takes responsibility as there are no standards or laws governing manufacture or quality control for aftermarket suspensions. Read the fine print in the disclaimer as most take ZERO liability for any kit not installed by the manufacturer.......

Garbz

 

excellent Garbz!

i know about those pesky oil pans. if my initial thoughts are correct the high part of the pan will be over the cross-member. this i wont know till i put the trans on and dip it in for a test fit.

sucks that these manufacturers are not governed by a quality control. you'd figure with an industry as large as this one (modifications for cars in general) that there would be an organization to keep things in check. my comment was again for the "consumer" one would hope these products have been tested. i for one can not afford a MII kit from TCI and usually work with what i got.

thanks!!!

 

here is a question maybe some of you have delt with this already...

steering. i want to keep the stock steering column in the truck. it has a round coupler at the base of the column. i am now running a power steering R/P on the MII cross-member. the motor is a 302. i know the R/P is a 30+ teeth 3/4 u-joint that goes to a double "D" shaft.

so that said, here are 2 questions...

is there a joint to go from the double "D" directly into the og column coupler or will i have to double "D" the column end?

with the 302 will i need an additional joint to move away from the headers / manifold?

thanks yall!

 

tylorderben

Lots of Chassis shops sell a Kit to address this.

These Links may help some !


https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25679


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...a-65-pics.html







Wally Womack

 

well, ordered up the u-joints. a 3/4-36 to 3/4 DD and a 3/4 DD so ill just DD the column shaft. as for exhaust clearance i will just check it when i get there i guess. if its in the way ill have to order another 3/4 DD with a support joint. no biggy done that before.

so while i wait for the notch kit i painted a few parts and tore into the rear suspension. all brackets are gone and smoothed. it ready for the notch and 4-link, if the parts ever get here!

 

Looking good! Now it's just my 2 cents but put the 6 back in!

BTW thanks for the pictures!

Have Fun
Marty

 

Here is a shot of my 63 with a 65 column installed. I machined a DD on the original 63 shaft and fabricated a new bearing retainer.





This attaches to a Dakota PS rack.



Try putting a FE on a 2" Z notched frame rise....

Garbz

 

lots of work accomplished these past few days...

og trans cross-member was broken so i made the missing piece:



modified the trans mount for the T5 and lowered it an inch or so, here its done:



after setting the motor in properly i took it back out to finish welding the motor mounts:



did the r/p pipe notches which work out perfect:



painted the front frame black:



ready for assembly:



got the motor in without a single problem (did it solo too):



oil pan clears everything perfectly:



started work on the back too:



finished welding the 10" step notch, still need to box in the frame and so on:



off to Cali for the weekend (Santa Maria), when i get back 4-link, bag brackets, boxing and pan-hard bar. paint, assemble and she's off. so will i into a shop i am renting.

thanks,
Yaril

 

thats one heck of a C notch. I didn't go back and read, but you must be going with air bags and planning to drag bottom.

 

What gauge did you go with on that C notch?
Once again, you can fab man. Nice work.

 

thanks guys, yes it will be on air bags and lay on 22" rear wheels 20" fronts.

the notch is a 10" kit from Suicidedoors.com they have very good quality stuff.

got back from Cali only to find its Raining every single day here. its ok cause after this truck is done the operation will be moved into a warehouse.

 

are you building it to lay frame?

 

im building it to be as low as possible. 22 and 20 inch wheels will keep it just off the floor. i raised the front MII front end and did the largest notch available 10" also raised up. these trucks have a low spot on the frame just under the cab so i figure it will most likely lay that part. i did the most i could within the allowable to get it to lay frame, if it does not it is ok that is not the goal. the goal is to lay it down low and have a nice driving truck when raised up a few inches.